Weird Things That Disney Employees Have Seen At Work

Walt Disney theme parks are called the "happiest places on Earth" — but is that really the case when you work there? If some of these stories from former Disney employees are anything to go by, not really. The following strange and funny tales have been culled from Reddit and take us on a wild journey into the weirdest things that Disney workers have had to put up with. You'll never look at Goofy in the same way again...

Costume confusion

"You have to be in specific height ranges to play the different characters. Because Mickey’s height range is so short he’s usually played by a woman. Likewise for Donald, although the most successful and best known Donald that I knew while I worked there was a little person.


"When the princess characters come backstage they have to take off their dresses so they don't get dirty while they're on break, so the princesses are usually walking around in a smock and bloomers if you see them back there. There is some serious cognitive dissonance when you walk back and see Snow White in her bloomers on her phone cursing up a storm." — leopoldisacat

Picture not-so-perfect

“I was working with Ariel, and cast members will always count down before they take a photo so people have time to get into position. I counted down, and this teen boy decided to try to rip off one of Ariel’s shells. I had to open his camera and expose his film so the photo didn’t get developed and passed around. I found out later that I was supposed to take it to the Kodak shop to have the film developed and that one removed.” — leopoldisacat

Death in the family

“During the construction of Pandora at Animal Kingdom, a very beloved superintendent passed away of an immediate heart attack. Mid-sentence and while opening the door to the construction trailer, George Burke just…died. The project was very affected by this. His knowledge of the work that needed to be done was deep and irreplaceable. His laughter and personality were loved by all 1,400 workers who were there.


“A couple of years after he passed, we were finishing the project and found the perfect way to pay homage to George. They invited his family to the middle of an active construction site to let them view it. George’s red hard hat, with the black Nordic Cross on top, was attached to the rockwork, in the middle of the flowing river, to the left of the entrance to Flight of Passage, and plastered over. The family, friends, and a few Imagineers were the only people there.


“Only we can point out where the hardhat is underneath the plaster, theming, and plants. I revisit the spot every time I go back to Pandora. :-) Peace!” — Evening-Career7325

All in the hands

“My SIL got a role as Cinderella at Disneyland Paris. She had to practice Cinderella’s autograph over and over because although different actresses play her all over the world, the signature of the character has to be identical anywhere it’s signed for consistency." — jennyrob669


“Buddy I went to college with was a Disney cast member. He had to learn how to write Goofy’s name left-handed because Goofy was a lefty. He's naturally a righty, but that's the one thing he could do as a lefty and had to write it in such a way that it didn’t smear the glove he was wearing. It was a very unnatural way to hold a pen without the gloves on.” — IndianInferno